I've recently started attending one of the only two climbing gyms here in Zagreb, Croatia. I live here because of my studies, I'm originally from Barcelona, Spain.

The fact is that this gym is quite small, not more than 20-25ft high for lead climbing and a few, a bit crammed, bouldering exercises. Yesterday was the first time for me going to this gym, and I felt quite lost in terms of productive exercising. I just climbed a bit, some campus board, but overall I felt frustrated because anything I did didn't feel like real training.

I need some guidance as for what should I focus on, how to see bouldering exercises properly, and what is the most efficient way of training. To explain myself in the "dummies" way, I just see a bunch of rocks and I would like to know how to choose and select rocks for different bouldering exercises and difficulties.

It's not easy for me to get much involved with the rest of the people there, as I'm a foreigner, don't really speak the local language, and I'm the noob there, so I pretty much have to go solo here.

I appreciate any help, I'm new to this forum, although I've been checking out lots of helpful reviews and articles around gere.

what is your climbing background? are you a complete beginner or just new to this gym?

for bouldering exercises, do a search and read up on the posts. 4x4s or so are popular. find four boulder problems close to your limit and rotate through all four problems, four times, for a total of sixteen problems.

what is your fitness limitation? if your gym is super small and no rock is nearby, supplementing with cross training like running or cycling and weight training or body-weight pull/push/lift exercises can be a good backup, and a fun way to avoid getting burned out.

also, dont be intimidated by the locals. climbers are friendly, and climbing can help you break through the language barrier.

Warmup - 30 minutes of technique drills on easy routes or boulder problems (silent feet, turning or flagging on every move, focusing on initiating movement from different parts of the body, etc.). Do some harder routes or boulder problems towards the end of your warmup.

Working/Sending routes or boulder problems - choose some new, relatively difficult routes or boulder problems, work out the moves and try to send. Or, try to send some routes or boulder problems you worked last session. About 45 minutes to an hour.

Conditioning - Do some intervals (4x4's, 5x5's, 6x8's (choose based on the length and characteristics of the routes you'd like to do outside) or running laps on routes), or some stamina work (i.e. 10 routes or boulder problems of the same difficulty), or a pyramid of boulder problems (for example, 4xV2, 2xV3, 1xV4, 1xV5, then back down the pyramid 1xV4, 2xV3, 4xV2). Do this on routes or boulder problems you know well.

Cool down - 20 minutes of easy, continuous climbing to get fresh blood in your forearms (if your skin isn't too raw and your fingers are feeling up to it). Then do 10-20 minutes of stretching.

*If I'm doing stamina conditioning I might skip working/send hard problems. If I've really worked hard on working/sending routes I might skip the conditioning. It all depends on how my fingers, elbows and shoulders are feeling.

I've recently started attending one of the only two climbing gyms here in Zagreb, Croatia. I live here because of my studies, I'm originally from Barcelona, Spain.

The fact is that this gym is quite small, not more than 20-25ft high for lead climbing and a few, a bit crammed, bouldering exercises. Yesterday was the first time for me going to this gym, and I felt quite lost in terms of productive exercising. I just climbed a bit, some campus board, but overall I felt frustrated because anything I did didn't feel like real training.

I need some guidance as for what should I focus on, how to see bouldering exercises properly, and what is the most efficient way of training. To explain myself in the "dummies" way, I just see a bunch of rocks and I would like to know how to choose and select rocks for different bouldering exercises and difficulties.

It's not easy for me to get much involved with the rest of the people there, as I'm a foreigner, don't really speak the local language, and I'm the noob there, so I pretty much have to go solo here.

I appreciate any help, I'm new to this forum, although I've been checking out lots of helpful reviews and articles around gere.

Thanks a lot!

Just climb using any holds you want, and (i take it you have no climbing back ground) look on you tube etc for ''shifting weight over feet''. Their are a few techniques used to do it, and using any holds allows you to easier work on them. When i teach new climbers, this is mainly the kind of thing they do for at least the first 3 sessions.. and something they are constantly reminded not to forget when i start putting them on real graded routes.

It would be difficult to know if your doing it right with no out side input, so you may have to build some bridges and try to get some first hand advise from people who see you climb.

You really should make an effort to befriend some people their, you can short cut much of the learning curve by getting help from better climbers.

I've recently started attending one of the only two climbing gyms here in Zagreb, Croatia. I live here because of my studies, I'm originally from Barcelona, Spain.

The fact is that this gym is quite small, not more than 20-25ft high for lead climbing and a few, a bit crammed, bouldering exercises. Yesterday was the first time for me going to this gym, and I felt quite lost in terms of productive exercising. I just climbed a bit, some campus board, but overall I felt frustrated because anything I did didn't feel like real training.

I need some guidance as for what should I focus on, how to see bouldering exercises properly, and what is the most efficient way of training. To explain myself in the "dummies" way, I just see a bunch of rocks and I would like to know how to choose and select rocks for different bouldering exercises and difficulties.

It's not easy for me to get much involved with the rest of the people there, as I'm a foreigner, don't really speak the local language, and I'm the noob there, so I pretty much have to go solo here.

I appreciate any help, I'm new to this forum, although I've been checking out lots of helpful reviews and articles around gere.

Thanks a lot!

Are you serious?

You are studying in Croatia, and you are from Spain. May I ask what are you studying there?

I've recently started attending one of the only two climbing gyms here in Zagreb, Croatia. I live here because of my studies, I'm originally from Barcelona, Spain.

The fact is that this gym is quite small, not more than 20-25ft high for lead climbing and a few, a bit crammed, bouldering exercises. Yesterday was the first time for me going to this gym, and I felt quite lost in terms of productive exercising. I just climbed a bit, some campus board, but overall I felt frustrated because anything I did didn't feel like real training.

I need some guidance as for what should I focus on, how to see bouldering exercises properly, and what is the most efficient way of training. To explain myself in the "dummies" way, I just see a bunch of rocks and I would like to know how to choose and select rocks for different bouldering exercises and difficulties.

It's not easy for me to get much involved with the rest of the people there, as I'm a foreigner, don't really speak the local language, and I'm the noob there, so I pretty much have to go solo here.

I appreciate any help, I'm new to this forum, although I've been checking out lots of helpful reviews and articles around gere.

Thanks a lot!

Are you serious?

You are studying in Croatia, and you are from Spain. May I ask what are you studying there?

finishing the 1st of 6 years of medicine. There is an english program in the Medical university of Zagreb, pretty decent, although most of the professors seem to have learned english through Disney's "Magic English" cassettes... Basically in Spain, like most other places in the world, the average grade needed to get into a medical university is way high. I don't have those grades, and here in Zagreb i managed to get accepted.

As for the rest of the replies, I found another better gym to train at, but especially a small outdoors semi-artificial rock wall for nice sunny days. For now I'm good with what I'm doing, but THANKS TO ALL!!

Just climb using any holds you want, and (i take it you have no climbing back ground) look on you tube etc for ''shifting weight over feet''. Their are a few techniques used to do it, and using any holds allows you to easier work on them. When i teach new climbers, this is mainly the kind of thing they do for at least the first 3 sessions.. and something they are constantly reminded not to forget when i start putting them on real graded routes.

It would be difficult to know if your doing it right with no out side input, so you may have to build some bridges and try to get some first hand advise from people who see you climb.

You really should make an effort to befriend some people their, you can short cut much of the learning curve by getting help from better climbers.

Holy sheet!!!!

The very thought of you teaching anybody anything about climbing fills me with dread and a strong need to poop (well, maybe I just need to poop but there IS a possiblity of a link here).

I mean, the shit you spout it really sounds like you should still be very firmly in the "taught" catagory, and most certainly not teaching.

Seriously, though, please stop talking. Unless, of course, you atre asking a question, for example "I'm a moron and I don't know how to climb, what should I do?", or "I'm quitting climbing and taking up curling because I'm a dumbass and I'm probably going to die or kill my partner, does anybody want to buy my gear?".

Just climb using any holds you want, and (i take it you have no climbing back ground) look on you tube etc for ''shifting weight over feet''. Their are a few techniques used to do it, and using any holds allows you to easier work on them. When i teach new climbers, this is mainly the kind of thing they do for at least the first 3 sessions.. and something they are constantly reminded not to forget when i start putting them on real graded routes.

It would be difficult to know if your doing it right with no out side input, so you may have to build some bridges and try to get some first hand advise from people who see you climb.

You really should make an effort to befriend some people their, you can short cut much of the learning curve by getting help from better climbers.

Holy sheet!!!!

The very thought of you teaching anybody anything about climbing fills me with dread and a strong need to poop (well, maybe I just need to poop but there IS a possiblity of a link here).

I mean, the shit you spout it really sounds like you should still be very firmly in the "taught" catagory, and most certainly not teaching.

Seriously, though, please stop talking. Unless, of course, you atre asking a question, for example "I'm a moron and I don't know how to climb, what should I do?", or "I'm quitting climbing and taking up curling because I'm a dumbass and I'm probably going to die or kill my partner, does anybody want to buy my gear?".

I see, at what point do you teach people the importance of foot work?. Is it before or after your second bottle of scotch.

Just climb using any holds you want, and (i take it you have no climbing back ground) look on you tube etc for ''shifting weight over feet''. Their are a few techniques used to do it, and using any holds allows you to easier work on them. When i teach new climbers, this is mainly the kind of thing they do for at least the first 3 sessions.. and something they are constantly reminded not to forget when i start putting them on real graded routes.

It would be difficult to know if your doing it right with no out side input, so you may have to build some bridges and try to get some first hand advise from people who see you climb.

You really should make an effort to befriend some people their, you can short cut much of the learning curve by getting help from better climbers.

Holy sheet!!!!

The very thought of you teaching anybody anything about climbing fills me with dread and a strong need to poop (well, maybe I just need to poop but there IS a possiblity of a link here).

I mean, the shit you spout it really sounds like you should still be very firmly in the "taught" catagory, and most certainly not teaching.

Seriously, though, please stop talking. Unless, of course, you atre asking a question, for example "I'm a moron and I don't know how to climb, what should I do?", or "I'm quitting climbing and taking up curling because I'm a dumbass and I'm probably going to die or kill my partner, does anybody want to buy my gear?".

I see, at what point do you teach people the importance of foot work?.

Just climb using any holds you want, and (i take it you have no climbing back ground) look on you tube etc for ''shifting weight over feet''. Their are a few techniques used to do it, and using any holds allows you to easier work on them. When i teach new climbers, this is mainly the kind of thing they do for at least the first 3 sessions.. and something they are constantly reminded not to forget when i start putting them on real graded routes.

It would be difficult to know if your doing it right with no out side input, so you may have to build some bridges and try to get some first hand advise from people who see you climb.

You really should make an effort to befriend some people their, you can short cut much of the learning curve by getting help from better climbers.

Holy sheet!!!!

The very thought of you teaching anybody anything about climbing fills me with dread and a strong need to poop (well, maybe I just need to poop but there IS a possiblity of a link here).

I mean, the shit you spout it really sounds like you should still be very firmly in the "taught" catagory, and most certainly not teaching.

Seriously, though, please stop talking. Unless, of course, you atre asking a question, for example "I'm a moron and I don't know how to climb, what should I do?", or "I'm quitting climbing and taking up curling because I'm a dumbass and I'm probably going to die or kill my partner, does anybody want to buy my gear?".

I see, at what point do you teach people the importance of foot work?.

Just climb using any holds you want, and (i take it you have no climbing back ground) look on you tube etc for ''shifting weight over feet''. Their are a few techniques used to do it, and using any holds allows you to easier work on them. When i teach new climbers, this is mainly the kind of thing they do for at least the first 3 sessions.. and something they are constantly reminded not to forget when i start putting them on real graded routes.

It would be difficult to know if your doing it right with no out side input, so you may have to build some bridges and try to get some first hand advise from people who see you climb.

You really should make an effort to befriend some people their, you can short cut much of the learning curve by getting help from better climbers.

Holy sheet!!!!

The very thought of you teaching anybody anything about climbing fills me with dread and a strong need to poop (well, maybe I just need to poop but there IS a possiblity of a link here).

I mean, the shit you spout it really sounds like you should still be very firmly in the "taught" catagory, and most certainly not teaching.

Seriously, though, please stop talking. Unless, of course, you atre asking a question, for example "I'm a moron and I don't know how to climb, what should I do?", or "I'm quitting climbing and taking up curling because I'm a dumbass and I'm probably going to die or kill my partner, does anybody want to buy my gear?".

I see, at what point do you teach people the importance of foot work?. Is it before or after your second bottle of scotch.

I don't drink, but thanks for the stereotype, jackass. And I teach n00bs about the importance of good technique almost immediately. I have the small advantage over you in the fact that I know what good technique is.

Maybe if you watch some more you tube videos you'll get a clue? I'm guessing you already have Expert Village bookmarked.

Just climb using any holds you want, and (i take it you have no climbing back ground) look on you tube etc for ''shifting weight over feet''. Their are a few techniques used to do it, and using any holds allows you to easier work on them. When i teach new climbers, this is mainly the kind of thing they do for at least the first 3 sessions.. and something they are constantly reminded not to forget when i start putting them on real graded routes.

It would be difficult to know if your doing it right with no out side input, so you may have to build some bridges and try to get some first hand advise from people who see you climb.

You really should make an effort to befriend some people their, you can short cut much of the learning curve by getting help from better climbers.

Holy sheet!!!!

The very thought of you teaching anybody anything about climbing fills me with dread and a strong need to poop (well, maybe I just need to poop but there IS a possiblity of a link here).

I mean, the shit you spout it really sounds like you should still be very firmly in the "taught" catagory, and most certainly not teaching.

Seriously, though, please stop talking. Unless, of course, you atre asking a question, for example "I'm a moron and I don't know how to climb, what should I do?", or "I'm quitting climbing and taking up curling because I'm a dumbass and I'm probably going to die or kill my partner, does anybody want to buy my gear?".

I see, at what point do you teach people the importance of foot work?. Is it before or after your second bottle of scotch.

I don't drink, but thanks for the stereotype, jackass. And I teach n00bs about the importance of good technique almost immediately. I have the small advantage over you in the fact that I know what good technique is.

Maybe if you watch some more you tube videos you'll get a clue? I'm guessing you already have Expert Village bookmarked.

Proof?.

And if you think watching top end climbs shows nothing in technique, you know allot less than you think.

You are just trolling so you can spray about how cool you think you are.

Just climb using any holds you want, and (i take it you have no climbing back ground) look on you tube etc for ''shifting weight over feet''. Their are a few techniques used to do it, and using any holds allows you to easier work on them. When i teach new climbers, this is mainly the kind of thing they do for at least the first 3 sessions.. and something they are constantly reminded not to forget when i start putting them on real graded routes.

It would be difficult to know if your doing it right with no out side input, so you may have to build some bridges and try to get some first hand advise from people who see you climb.

You really should make an effort to befriend some people their, you can short cut much of the learning curve by getting help from better climbers.

Holy sheet!!!!

The very thought of you teaching anybody anything about climbing fills me with dread and a strong need to poop (well, maybe I just need to poop but there IS a possiblity of a link here).

I mean, the shit you spout it really sounds like you should still be very firmly in the "taught" catagory, and most certainly not teaching.

Seriously, though, please stop talking. Unless, of course, you atre asking a question, for example "I'm a moron and I don't know how to climb, what should I do?", or "I'm quitting climbing and taking up curling because I'm a dumbass and I'm probably going to die or kill my partner, does anybody want to buy my gear?".

I see, at what point do you teach people the importance of foot work?. Is it before or after your second bottle of scotch.

I don't drink, but thanks for the stereotype, jackass. And I teach n00bs about the importance of good technique almost immediately. I have the small advantage over you in the fact that I know what good technique is.

Maybe if you watch some more you tube videos you'll get a clue? I'm guessing you already have Expert Village bookmarked.

Proof?.

And if you think watching top end climbs shows nothing in technique, you know allot less than you think. You are just trolling so you can spray about how cool you think you are.

Most likely.

Let's take a look at the most watched videos on youtube of "top end climbs"

Just climb using any holds you want, and (i take it you have no climbing back ground) look on you tube etc for ''shifting weight over feet''. Their are a few techniques used to do it, and using any holds allows you to easier work on them. When i teach new climbers, this is mainly the kind of thing they do for at least the first 3 sessions.. and something they are constantly reminded not to forget when i start putting them on real graded routes.

It would be difficult to know if your doing it right with no out side input, so you may have to build some bridges and try to get some first hand advise from people who see you climb.

You really should make an effort to befriend some people their, you can short cut much of the learning curve by getting help from better climbers.

Holy sheet!!!!

The very thought of you teaching anybody anything about climbing fills me with dread and a strong need to poop (well, maybe I just need to poop but there IS a possiblity of a link here).

I mean, the shit you spout it really sounds like you should still be very firmly in the "taught" catagory, and most certainly not teaching.

Seriously, though, please stop talking. Unless, of course, you atre asking a question, for example "I'm a moron and I don't know how to climb, what should I do?", or "I'm quitting climbing and taking up curling because I'm a dumbass and I'm probably going to die or kill my partner, does anybody want to buy my gear?".

I see, at what point do you teach people the importance of foot work?. Is it before or after your second bottle of scotch.

I don't drink, but thanks for the stereotype, jackass. And I teach n00bs about the importance of good technique almost immediately. I have the small advantage over you in the fact that I know what good technique is.

Maybe if you watch some more you tube videos you'll get a clue? I'm guessing you already have Expert Village bookmarked.

Proof?.

And if you think watching top end climbs shows nothing in technique, you know allot less than you think. You are just trolling so you can spray about how cool you think you are.

Most likely.

Let's take a look at the most watched videos on youtube of "top end climbs"